This invention relates to a dual wheel mounting assembly and, more particularly, to an assembly for attaching an auxiliary wheel to another vehicle mounted wheel.
In the past, various wheel mounting assemblies have been employed for attaching auxiliary wheels to primary wheels already mounted on a vehicle axle to improve traction and the like. One such prior assembly has taken the form of an annular ring which fits in an annular stepped edge groove about the internal perimeter of the rim of the auxiliary wheel. To this ring are attached a plurality of angularly spaced lug members or brackets which extend in overlying relationship to and bear against the auxiliary wheel rim. Elongated connecting rods or the like are hooked or otherwise secured to the primary vehicle mounted wheel and to the lug members or brackets and a suitable tensioning means, such as a nut, is threaded upon the end of the connecting rod to draw a tension on the connecting rod between the primary vehicle wheel and the lug member or bracket to secure the wheels together.
Such prior annular ring assemblies suffer the disadvantage that both during tensioning, and even more important, during use of the vehicle, stresses arise which tend to "square" the auxiliary wheel ring and/or the annular mounting ring. Such squaring frequently leads to unacceptable deformation of one or both of these latter mentioned members and to the possibility of the annular ring slipping over the auxiliary wheel ring. When the latter occurs, the auxiliary wheel along with the mounting assembly may separate from the vehicle mounted wheel.
The present invention is directed to an improvement in such annular ring mounting assemblies which substantially overcomes the tendency in such assemblies to square with the accompanying possibility of rim deformation and wheel separation which may result therefrom. In the dual wheel mounting assembly of the present invention, means are provided to exert a counterbalancing force which minimizes the forces exerted upon the auxiliary wheel rim, either during tensioning, use or both, by the mounting assembly when the wheels have been attached together. The dual wheel mounting assembly of the present invention not only obviates the tendency of squaring of the mounting assembly itself and/or the auxiliary wheel rim, but is capable of easy manufacture and also a reduction in the amount and/or strength of the materials which were previously necessary in prior annular ring mounting assemblies. Finally, in the present invention the dual wheel mounting assembly may be protected against damage during use and is capable of assembly without the need to hammer or forcibly compress the assembly in place or pry the assembly loose when the auxiliary wheel is to be demounted.
In a principal aspect of the invention, a wheel mounting assembly for mounting an auxiliary wheel to a vehicle mounted wheel includes an auxiliary wheel rim having an annular stepped groove adjacent an edge of the rim and wheel securing means including an annular ring positioned in the stepped groove and a plurality of spaced lug members spaced about the inner circumference of the annular ring. A portion of each of the lug members extends beyond the ring and in overlying contacting relationship with the rim of the auxiliary wheel. Connecting means is adapted to be attached between the vehicle mounted wheel and the lug members and tension means draw a tension on the connecting means to firmly attach the wheels together. The improvement in this assembly includes means which relieves stresses on the auxiliary wheel rim and the ring by exerting a counterbalancing force on the securing means toward the rim of the auxiliary wheel, which counterbalances the force exerted upon the rim by the overlying portions of the lug members when the auxiliary and vehicle mounted wheels are attached together.
In one principal embodiment of the present invention, the means for exerting this counterbalancing force comprises a hooked member which extends from the securing means and hooks beneath the rim of the auxiliary wheel.
In another principal embodiment of the present invention, the means for exerting this counterbalancing force comprise spokes.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become evident upon consideration of the following detailed description.